


But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? (It is the east, and Mrs Stewart is the sun)

by spilled_notes



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Holby City
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-14 02:52:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11198961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spilled_notes/pseuds/spilled_notes
Summary: Everyone at the Tower keeps getting distracted and making mistakes, and Kate just can't understand why. But when she complains to her wife, Serena suspects she might just know what the problem is...





	But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? (It is the east, and Mrs Stewart is the sun)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lesbianquill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianquill/gifts), [MatildaSwan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatildaSwan/gifts).
  * Inspired by [I set my sights on you (and no-one else will do)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10649895) by [lesbianquill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianquill/pseuds/lesbianquill). 



> This is a response to @lesbianquill's [I set my sights on you (and no-one else will do)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10649895), so if you haven't already read it then you should do that first! See also @MatildaSwan's [All She's Ever Wanted](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10415697).

‘That’s the fifth inexplicable lab accident this year,’ Kate grumbles to her wife when she gets home just ahead of her in time for a late dinner of defrosted and reheated Bolognese.

‘Don’t you deal in the inexplicable?’ Serena points out, groaning blissfully as she shovels her first loaded forkful into her mouth, not caring how much mess she’s making because opposite her Kate is doing exactly the same.

‘Hmph,’ Kate mumbles around her mouthful, rolling her eyes. ‘And,’ she adds once she’s swallowed, ‘people keep making really stupid mistakes. They’re all incredibly intelligent scientists, I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m starting to worry they’re under some sort of alien influence.’

Serena sips her wine, takes another mouthful and chews thoughtfully. ‘Are they, by any chance, all women?’ she guesses.

‘Well, yes, come to think of it. But I don’t see what that’s got to do with anything,’ Kate frowns, puzzled by this display of apparent sexism from her wife.

But before she can ask anything else Serena launches into a story about her day, about a man who came in with a tap firmly wedged somewhere rather intimate, and soon they’re both in stitches.

Kate doesn’t bring it up again until they’re getting ready for bed. ‘Why did you ask if they’re all women?’

‘If who are all women, darling?’

‘My staff, the ones who are making mistakes.’

‘Ah, that,’ Serena smiles. ‘I just think you might want to look a little closer to home to find the source of the, uh, _influence_ ,’ she smirks.

Kate frowns and opens her mouth, but before she can speak Serena is kissing her and she’s powerless to do anything but wrap her arms around her waist and kiss her back.

 _Always a reliable way to distract her,_ Serena thinks smugly as they tumble into bed. Because while she has a pretty strong suspicion what’s been going on at the Tower she doesn’t have enough evidence to draw a firm conclusion yet and Kate – dear, darling and, in this case, utterly _oblivious_ Kate – will only stare at her in amazed disbelief, and probably honk with laughter, if she so much as suggested it. Because somehow – _and goodness knows how, even the Doctor couldn’t explain this,_ Serena thinks as Kate’s lips trail down her neck, as Kate’s fingers slip inside the pyjamas Serena wonders why she bothered putting on – her wife is unaware of the devastating effect she has on women.

 _I’m not, though,_ Serena thinks, breathless. _God, I’m not._

*

‘You didn’t have to get up, love,’ Kate says when Serena comes into the kitchen, now back in her pyjamas, her hair still messy from Kate’s fingers.

‘And miss the chance to have breakfast with you?’ Serena smiles. She presses a kiss to Kate’s cheek, helps herself to tea from the pot and, before Kate can swat her hand away, a slice of buttered toast from her plate.

She settles in her chair, sticks her tongue out at Kate’s playful scowl, adds a drop of milk to her tea before taking a sip.

‘Any plans for your day off?’

‘Thought I might do the online shop, so we don’t starve next time both of us work late one too many times and forget about it.’

‘I knew there was a reason I married you,’ Kate teases. And then, with a glance at her watch, she swallows the rest of her tea, grabs the last piece of toast and holds it between her teeth as she strides into the hall and pulls on her jacket.

‘Have a good day,’ she says to Serena, her hand on the front door.

‘You too,’ Serena smiles, smoothing her lapel and softly kissing her buttery lips. ‘I’ll see you later.’

*

Serena spends the morning pottering around the house, checking the kitchen cupboards and the fridge and ordering enough groceries to keep them going through another UNIT crisis for Kate and several unexpectedly long shifts at the Royal London for her – or, of course, a UNIT crisis that spawns a long shift at the Royal London.

She hasn’t forgotten Kate’s concerns about her colleagues, smiles to herself at how such a bright, brilliant, observant woman can be so ignorant as to her own effect on those around her. She’s suddenly struck with a desire to see it for herself, to confirm her unspoken hypothesis from last night. So she shoots a text to Kate asking how her day’s going and then jumps into the shower, gets out to find a reply that it’s ‘all quiet so far, touch wood’.

 _Excellent,_ she thinks, slipping into a red blouse she knows is one of Kate’s favourites.

*

‘I’m sorry Ma’am, but I can’t let you in without an appointment or identification,’ the soldier says.

Serena smiles sweetly – a smile that would have any F1, and even a number of registrars, quaking in their scrubs. ‘Are you, by any chance, new here?’ she asks.

But before he can answer another soldier appears over his shoulder. ‘At ease, Private,’ he says when he spots Serena.

‘Apologies, Ms Campbell,’ he says. ‘You’re not on Ms Stewart’s list for today.’

‘Surprise visit, Captain Carter,’ Serena smiles. ‘Unless, of course, something’s come up in the last hour since I heard from her?’

‘Nope,’ Carter grins. ‘I think she’ll be all yours for lunch,’ he adds, glancing at the paper bag in her hand and ushering her inside.

Serena strides down the corridor, exchanging nods with the staff she knows and smiling at the curious glances from those she doesn’t, heads straight for the main room and pauses in the doorway. It's abuzz with activity, as always, and Serena leans on the doorframe, arms folded, an amused smile quirking the corners of her lips.

She watches as the new girl, Bill, ogles her wife's arse over the top of the report she's reading, as Jac does exactly the same around the edge of her computer screen but hides it better. As Osgood stumbles on an invisible block of air when Kate smiles at her, as another scientist she doesn't know stumbles over her words when Kate asks her a question.

At the centre of it all is Kate, standing with her hands in her pockets and her reading glasses pushed on top of her head, with that air of casual power she always exudes. Serena only saw her a few hours ago, in the self same perfectly tailored navy suit she’s wearing now, yet as always she's struck with just how eminently fuckable Kate is in it.

_Although the clothes are moot, really. She'd look eminently fuckable in a bin bag._

Serena rolls her eyes at herself, clears her throat, takes one step forward and one to the side so she's just in the periphery of Kate's vision.

Kate turns at the movement, at the sudden flash of colour, and her face lights with joy and surprise when she sees Serena. And then she frowns, and even from this distance Serena fancies she can see a spark of worry in her eyes, knows she immediately thought of the children. So she shakes her head that no, there's nothing to worry about, smiles and holds up the paper bag, cocks her head and raises an eyebrow in question.

Kate beams and nods, and Serena hears a quiet but firm stream of orders as she heads down the corridor to Kate's office, knows her wife won't be far behind.

*

After Kate has gone, hands still in her pockets but walking almost imperceptibly faster than usual, Bill sidles over to Jac.

‘Who was that?’ she asks, because it's the first time she's seen that look – the one every woman at the Tower wears when Kate smiles at them – on Kate's face, the first time she's ever seen Kate Stewart lose her cool when she looks at a woman.

‘Serena Campbell,’ Jac replies, traces of both admiration and envy in her voice. ‘Consultant surgeon and UNIT liaison at the Royal London.’

‘Ok,’ Bill says slowly, because that isn't a proper answer. At least, not to the question she was really asking.

‘Otherwise known as Mrs Stewart,’ Osgood adds over her shoulder.

‘That's Kate's wife?’ Bill manages. ‘Wow. Ultimate power couple right there.’

*

‘Well this is a rather lovely surprise,’ Kate smiles as Serena tugs her close enough for a kiss, yelping when Serena slips her hands into her back pockets and squeezes.

‘Couldn't resist,’ Serena says, entirely unapologetic. But she lets Kate go and they sit together, fingers brushing as they unpack lunch.

‘Any particular reason for the visit?’ Kate asks, unwrapping the sandwich Serena hands her. ‘Not that I'm complaining, of course.’

‘Can't a woman just drop in and bring her wife lunch?’

‘Yes,’ Kate replies. ‘But you've got a glint in your eyes that suggests an ulterior motive.’

‘Can't get anything past you,’ Serena grumbles. ‘Fine, I had an idea as to what might be affecting your staff’s concentration but I didn't want to say anything until I'd confirmed it.’

‘Well you look very pleased with yourself, so I'm guessing you were right. Care to share?’

‘They're all at least a little bit in love with you,’ Serena says.

Half the filling drops out of Kate's sandwich when her grip loosens, and Serena laughs at her stunned expression.

‘They either can't stop looking at you – and who could blame them, especially in that suit – or they turn into bumbling idiots when you smile at them.’

Kate is still staring at her, speechless, and Serena puts down her own sandwich so she can reach for her hand.

‘Are you having me on?’ she manages eventually.

‘Oh darling,’ Serena says fondly. ‘Attractive – _very_ attractive – older woman in a position of authority? I didn't stand a chance, so how could they?’

*

‘Do you mean to tell me,’ Kate says later, once the shock has worn off, ‘that it's all my fault?’

‘Too gorgeous for your own good,’ Serena confirms.

‘You know I don't do it on purpose?’ she asks, suddenly worried.

‘Oh, your reaction made that perfectly clear,’ Serena smiles.

‘Because there's only one woman I’m interested in making gaze at me uncontrollably,’ Kate says, voice low, standing and pulling Serena into her arms.

‘Well isn't she the lucky one?’ Serena murmurs. And then she can't speak, because Kate's lips are on hers and nothing smaller than a full-scale alien incursion is going to make her stop.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little titbit that amused me: the Royal London Hospital has an entrance on Stepney Way. I like to think maybe this is where they first kissed...


End file.
